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Sunday, October 29, 2000

Laid-back San Diego is getting a little bit of Raiders mentality. It doesn't matter that the Chargers are the only winless team in the AFC and Oakland is tied for the best record, the North-South California rivalry flares up again tonight with all the subtlety of a billy club over the head.

The action in the stands at San Diego almost sounds Browns-Steelers-ish.

"It's to the point where it's really kind of disgusting because I can't invite my mom to go to a game like that because I don't feel safe for her in the stands," Chargers safety Rodney Harrison said. "You have so many people out there drunk and acting crazy and fighting and cursing. ... It's to the point where it's embarrassing to look into the stands when you're on the field to see a bunch of fights going on."

So much for team unity

Baltimore has switched from Tony Banks to Trent Dilfer at quarterback today for many reasons.

Tennessee defensive end Jevon Kearse, whose team beat the Ravens last week, has a few of his own.

"When we sacked him," Kearse said, "I could hear his teammates say things like, 'Damn, Tony, throw the ball.' When his own players were cussing at him, his coach was chewing him out on the sideline and the fans were booing him, I knew we had them right where we wanted them."

Donahoe to Chargers?

Among the many places rumored to be Tom Donahoe's next stop as general manager, or as some other front-office honcho, is San Diego.

The Chargers supposedly will clean out a front office that still feels the effects of the poor drafts of former GM Bobby Beathard.

Those drafts are a reason the current Chargers are winless.

Gailey under the gun

Chan Gailey gets ripped when he does and ripped when he doesn't.

Gailey was offensive coordinator here when Kordell Stewart threw an interception into the end zone on second-and-2 in the AFC championship game and the Steelers leading. Gailey was criticized for not running the ball.

Now, Miami fans and even players are getting on Gailey, the Dolphins' offensive coordinator, for not passing with a 30-13 lead and 14 minutes left against the Jets on Monday night. The Dolphins lost the lead and the game in overtime.

"We've got to stop being soft," cornerback Sam Madison said. "We've got to take a Minnesota or St. Louis Rams approach. When you've got [the opponent] down, just keep pounding them. We didn't do that. We had them where we really wanted them."

Quick slants

Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell has been sacked 38 times, more than anyone in the league. The Jaguars' defense has had no sacks in three games this season and none of their linemen has had a sack in the past six.

Warren Moon turns 44 next month. He's older than any of the four franchises he has played for in the NFL: Houston, Minnesota, Seattle and Kansas City.

The Broncos have yielded first victories of the season to New England and Cincinnati. They have winless San Diego on Nov. 19.

Oakland coach Jon Gruden, on how tough it is for rookies in the second half of the NFL season: "Every year you can see the look in their eyes. Four preseason games, a month of training camp, minicamps, then seven regular-season games. Hell, these guys are ready to get their Peach Bowl watch."

Peyton Manning has been sacked just 43 times in 39 regular-season starts, or once for every 32.5 times he drops back to pass.